Lactic acid bacteria are known to exhibit various beneficial bioactivities such as an intestine regulating activity and immunostimulating activity. Many of the Lactic acid bacteria with such beneficial bioactivities are separated from the intestinal tract or fermented dairy products obtained from animal sources. Some lactic acid bacteria from plant sources are also known to exhibit immunostimulating activities.
An example of lactic acid bacteria having immunostimulating activities is found, for example, in Patent Document 1, which discloses the Lactobacillus plantarum L-137 strain. Other examples include the Lactobacillus brevis Labre strain separated from “Suguki,” which is a particular kind of traditional pickles produced in Kyoto, and the Lactobacillus pentosus DA74N strain separated from “Shibazuke,” another kind of Kyoto pickles (see Non-Patent Documents 1, 2).
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 167972/1998 (Tokukaihei 10-167972; published on Jun. 23, 1998).
[Non-Patent Document 1]
Screening of immune-enhancing Probiotics: Study of Immune-enhancing effects of Lactobacilli strains by in vitro stimulation human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, Atsuko KISHI, Aoi KOKUBO, Kaoru AKATANI, Eriko OUGITANA, Setsuya FUJITA, Tsunataro KISHIDA, Pasken. Journal 15. 21-26, 2002.
[Non-Patent Document 2]
The 6th Intestinal Bacteria Conference (Chonai Saikin Gakkai), May 30-31, 2002, Abstract, Kaoru AKATANI, Atsuko KISHI, Eriko OUGITANA, Aoi KOKUBO, Setsuya FUJITA, Tsunataro KISHIDA.
A wide variety of bacteria can be separated from the traditional Kyoto pickles, and it is believed that the pickles include other bacterial strains, in addition to the Labre strain, with the immunostimulating activities or other beneficial bioactivities. Among different bacterial strains separated from the pickles, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus pentosus are most frequently separated. However, the effects of bacteria separated from the pickles have not been actively researched. It is therefore expected to find a bacterial strain with useful bioactivities from lactic acid bacteria separated from the pickles.
The present invention was made in view of the foregoing problem, and an object of the invention is to provide safe and functional foods, beverages, and drugs containing a bacterial strain having immunoregulating activities or other useful bioactivities, using lactic acid bacteria separated from the traditional Kyoto pickles.